News

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31 May 2007

Paci joins DLA Piper’s Corporate and Securities Practice in New York

Former Shearman & Sterling Partner Adds Significant Depth to Capital Markets Practice; Advances DLA Piper’s Strategy to Aggressively Expand Practice in New York and Globally

Press Release

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(New York) – DLA Piper US LLP has announced that Christopher C. Paci, a leading corporate and securities lawyer, has joined the firm’s Corporate and Securities practice group as a partner in the New York office. He comes to the firm from King & Spalding. Previously, he was a partner in the capital markets group at Shearman & Sterling.

Paci’s arrival comes two and a half months after Roger Meltzer joined DLA Piper from Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP as Global Chair of the firm’s Corporate and Finance practice. Meltzer’s near-term focus is to attract and manage significant engagements in New York and to lead efforts to recruit quality corporate and finance lawyers in the market.

“Chris’s recruitment is a major development for the firm’s New York office and an important step in advancing our strategic plan to further develop the Capital Markets practice, including debt-oriented transactions,” said Meltzer. “His considerable experience, particularly in underwriter engagements, will nicely augment our existing New York Corporate and Finance practices.”

Paci has substantial experience representing investment banks and U.S. and foreign issuers in a broad range of capital markets transactions, including registered offerings and private placements of equity, equity linked, high-yield and investment-grade debt securities, as well as exchange offers, tender offers and consent solicitations.

He has worked with issuers in many industries, including aerospace/defense, consumer/retail, health care/life sciences, manufacturing, natural resources, technology and telecommunications, often in connection with leveraged acquisitions or recapitalizations. He regularly advises company clients regarding SEC reporting and disclosure requirements and corporate governance matters. He also has significant experience in merger and acquisition transactions and debt restructurings.

“Chris is a well respected and highly experienced corporate and securities lawyer,” commented Jay Smith, co-chair of the firm’s Corporate and Securities practice group. “His extensive contacts throughout the industry, especially among growing multinational companies and investment banking groups, align him with the practice group’s strategic objectives and the firm’s international focus.”

Continuing to Build a Leading Global Corporate and Finance Practice

Paci’s arrival represents the latest move by DLA Piper in continuing to build a leading global Corporate and Finance practice.

DLA Piper’s Corporate and Finance practice includes more than 800 attorneys worldwide. Recognized as one of the world’s leading emerging growth, venture capital and technology law firms, DLA Piper lawyers advise clients on public and private equity and debt securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions and reorganizations, in addition to corporate governance, IT, tax, compensation and technology issues. Lawyers in the firm’s Finance practice counsel clients on syndicated loans, asset-based and cash flow loans, mezzanine and private equity investments, transportation finance and leveraged lease transactions, as well as specialty areas such as projects and infrastructure and real estate structured finance products.

DLA Piper made a significant investment in its Real Estate Capital Markets practice in 2005 that has created one of the world’s leading fund formation and real estate structured finance practices. The firm has also been retained to handle a number of major IPOs in China based on its expanding capital markets capabilities in the region while also rapidly growing its project finance practice in Europe, South America, the U.S. and Africa.

About Chris Paci

Prior to joining DLA Piper, Paci was a partner at King & Spalding in the firm’s corporate group. Previously, he was a partner in the capital markets group at Shearman & Sterling.

Paci is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and of the American Bar Association. He serves as a member of the Financial Reporting Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He also serves on the board of directors of the Harlem School of the Arts.

Paci received a B.A., magna cum laude, from Yale University and a J.D. from Stanford Law School. He was also a Fulbright Fellow at the Universities of Rome and Perugia, Italy.

About DLA Piper
DLA Piper has 3,400 lawyers in 24 countries and 63 offices throughout the U.S., U.K., Continental Europe, Middle East and Asia. It has leading practices in corporate, finance, human resources, litigation, real estate, regulatory and legislative, tax, and technology, media and communications. In certain jurisdictions, this information may be considered attorney advertising.

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CONTACTS:
Jason Costa, Media Relations, DLA Piper, 212.776.3739
John Corey, Media Relations, GreenTarget Global Group, 312.252.4102
Kristen Griffin, Media Relations, GreenTarget Global Group, 312.252.4107